In the summer of 2015, for one month, I wandered my way through the north. From Singapore, I flew out to Stockholm, via Istanbul, via Copenhagen and landed in the land of the Midnight Sun. With a skeletal itinerary, I planned a few days ahead, listening to a call out of time. This is a series of three articles about this month-long journey - Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
Norway Itinerary ::
Stockholm to Bodø via Oslo on Scandinavian Airlines
Overnight in Bodø
Early ferry to Moskenes, Lofoten Islands
Rental car to explore the island, based in Hamnøy, Reine (3 nights)
Bus to Svolvær to board the Hurtigruten (1 night) to Tromsø (4 nights)
Bus from Tromsø to Bodø (1 night)
Train from Bodø to Trondheim (1 night)
Flight from Trondheim to Oslo (3 nights)
Flight from Oslo to Copenhagen
Quick links :: Bodø | Lofoten Islands | Å | Vestvågøya | Hamnøy | Svolvær | Tromsø | Trondheim | Oslo
Bodø
Scandic Havet Hotel (1 Night)
North of the Arctic Circle, Bodø is the capital of the Nordland County. It is an university town and is known for the art scene and for Saltstraumen, one of the world’s strongest tidal currents. While the town is pretty compact and flat, it’s surrounded by nature reserves and mountains, some 120 peaks over 700m.
I flew in from Stockholm via Oslo. (Good to know :: My luggage was not checked all the way through to Bodø – I had to pick up my luggage for the transfer.) I chose Bodø to stay the night to catch an early ferry ride to the Lofoten Islands. By the time the taxi dropped me off and I was checked in, the light was already changing. Because I was north of the Arctic Circle, the sun would not set for a few more months.
Walking into the Midnight Sun
After staring out at the shimmering seascape from my room, for quite some time, I went out to look for food. (Be sure to book a room overlooking the water. If you can’t, maybe grab a drink at the bar or a meal at the restaurant on the 18th floor. The Scandic Havet is the tallest building in Bodø and offers amazing views.)
It was late and not much was opened. So I grabbed the healthiest thing I could find at the convenience shop. There I also stocked up on water and snacks before heading out to Rønvikfjellet, where a now-abandoned building sits. This was once a restaurant that opened in the summer and judging from the reviews now, quite good. When I went, I had no idea as this hike was unplanned.
I walked through the town, up the hill, another hill, higher and higher, further and further away, all the while wondering where I was headed. The directions from the hotel front desk were easy enough, though I was starting to wonder if I misheard in travel fatigue. I was basically walking across town. Plus with the Midnight Sun, I didn’t have to worry about getting lost in the dark. It wasn’t going to get dark, I kept reminding myself.
With food in my belly and a water bottle in my hand, I got more energized as I went along. So I wasn’t too tired to remember the landmarks for the return. Because a tired mind can play tricks, good that the crisp air and the movement kept it sharp, focused, and relaxed.
At some point, I stopped by a lake. A pair of ducks swam over, probably expecting food. I had none, and they made new trails across the water. I wound round and round up the mountain, past parking lots of cars and finally to beneath where the building was. Suddenly I was there.
Isn’t it interesting that in life, even with all the discipline, perseverance, and effort, we are surprised when we arrive somewhere?
Some people were already there filming a music video and what an atmosphere. The music, the laughter, the Midnight Sun. I was only sure I found the right place when I saw the view. Wow. And if I had ended up somewhere else, I’d never would have known and it wouldn’t have matter. That moment, I felt full.
This feeling of awe reminds us of how we are part of something bigger. In a study, they showed that people are more likely to be helpful after experiencing awe. Can you imagine what the world would be like, if we all remembered to stop to smell the roses, stare at the starry skies, and sailed out to seas?
Even if it’s just looking at photographs. So go ahead and pause here to stare at the photo of this iridescent panoramic view.
What is the Midnight Sun? According to the Nordic Visitor –
Scientifically speaking, the midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs in far northerly latitudes — particularly at or above the Arctic Circle — during summer, when the earth’s axis is tilted more towards the sun. It peaks at the summer solstice, usually around the 21st of June each year.
At its peak, the sun does move position in the sky, but it does not dip completely below the horizon. Depending on how far north you travel, the period of non-stop daylight can last from a single day to nearly five months. In the town of Ilulissat in Greenland, for example, the midnight sun appears from mid-May to late July.
Travelling solo
People were amazed I did this month-long trip solo. I never once felt unsafe – it never even crossed my mind, though I knew better than to tell my dad what I was doing. He is a worry nut and he would have blown a fuse! To be fair, I did invite him to Norway, where the ships for his company came from.
I don’t think I was particularly brave. It was Scandinavia, after all. Perhaps the courage is being alone, which is a struggle for many people. For me, I love to travel alone and enjoy my own company. Somewhat of a hermit and an introvert. Perhaps more, I like following the flow of my own timeline. I’m definitely better now about communicating those needs and less angry about feeling the need to compromise.
View from my hotel room (top left); the abandoned restaurant (top right); the hotel lobby when I checked in (bright, I know!).
Bodø – Gateway to Lofoten Islands
I overnighted in Bodø primarily for the early morning ferry over to Moskenes on the Lofoten Islands. Not a morning person, I had planned for a quiet and early night to stay on schedule. I was happy though to have found the trail up to the mountaintop, for the exercise, to get outside, to ground. And to see the Midnight Sun, now that I was a little more north than Stockholm.
This walk through the city (sidewalk and road) and some rocky paths is do-able for anyone who is moderately fit, unless you are Norwegian than it’s just an evening or afternoon stroll.
If you have more time, you may want to check out the Aviation Museum, Keiservarden mountain, the turquoise clear water and white sands of Mjelle beach, the Bodø Cathedral, and Bodin Medieval Church… and if you have much more time, time for day trips, there is Saltstraumen, Kjerringøy, and Åselidalen. Thanks for these tips from Bodø local Renate Sandvik.
More info | Hike Rønvikfjellet | Aviation Museum | Hike to Keiservarden | Mjelle beach Bodø Cathedral | Bodin Medieval Church | Salstraumen | Kjerringøy | Åselidalen
Lofoten Islands
Eliassen Rorbuer (3 Nights) – Hamnøy Reine
The Lofoten Islands is an archipelago of seven islands. You can get there by car, ferry, or plane.
Getting to the Lofoten Islands
There are two ferries from Bodø, reachable by plane or train from Oslo or by ferry from Bergen. The car ferry sails to Moskenes (www.thn.no) in about 3 to 4 hours and the passenger ferry to SvolvSvolvær in 3 to 5 hours. The famous Hurtigruten also stops at Svolvær and Stamsund and can be booked port-to-port. To get back to the mainland, I boarded the Hurtigruten at Svolvær for Tromsø.
The Lofoten Islands have three airports – Harstad/Narvik, Solvær, and Leknes. Some of these flights lay over in Bodø anyways. Flights take around 3 hours from Oslo.
The Lofoten Islands and the mainland are connected by E10, with endpoints in Luleå, Sweden and Å in the Lofoten. Ferry- and toll-free. The road in Norway has lots of turns and twists and can be rather narrow. You can also rent a car in Bodø and ferry it over or rent a car on the islands. I rented a car to pick up at the Moskenes pier.
About 100km above the polar circle, with dramatic landscapes, this is God’s country, pulsating with primal energy. Brightly painted cabins and villages dot the islands, where sea and sky seem to merge into undulating blues. It’s no surprise that this stunning place is a dream for hikers, climbers, kayakers, outdoorsy people, photographers …
There is quite a variety of towns and hamlets to choose from. My base was cabin #15 at the Eliassen Rorbuer in Hamnøy, Moskenes. This western part of the islands has dramatic landscapes, with the very famous, very photographically recognizable, and arguably the most scenic fishing village of Reine.
The rorbu is a traditional wooden fisherman’s cabin. The first one was built in the early 1100s to house the rising numbers of fishermen who came to partake in the fertile cod fishing grounds in the Lofoten Islands. From the 1960s, these colourful cabins were rented out to tourists and continue to celebrate Lofoten’s longest-running tradition. Many have been renovated to suit modern travellers, now with indoor plumbing and even a full kitchen. Gone is the rustic charm and while it is not what the fishermen of the past once had, a stay at a rorbu is a treat.
More info | Ferry to Lofoten Islands |Moskenes car rental | Eliassen Rorbuer
Å
After a miscommunication and a delay, I picked up my car at the empty Moskenes pier and headed to the village of Å (pronounced something like “oh” and also the last letter in the Norwegian alphabet). I’d thought I’d check out the sights while my cabin was getting cleaned.
Å is at the most southern part on Moskenesøya. Once an important fishing port, now a tourist destination. I hadn’t planned on going there and knew nothing about this little village so I followed the crowds of people already there.
Panorama in Lofoten, Norway
Together we meandered to the end point, rocky cliffs that overlook the seas. To me, it was still pretty windy and cold coming from tropical Singapore. For a couple, it was perfect for a skinny dip in the pools below.
With some time on my hands, I wandered around the village. There are a couple of museums which I gave a miss. I just wanted to be outside, in the fresh Arctic air, breathing in the sunshine. I found a nice spot on a bench and feasted on freshly-baked bread with a cup of tea. The simple things in life, right?
Vestvågøya for an amazing Midnight Sun
That night I had an early dinner at my Lofoten home base and spent a leisure evening with a short nap and light reading.
I googled possible spots to see the Midnight Sun. Deciding on Vestvågøya in Leknes, about an hour away, I headed out after 10pm giving myself plenty of time to stop along the way. Everywhere I looked, I was met with jaw dropping scenes, lit by the Midnight Sun.
Aside from very few cars and a motorbike here and there, I felt like the only soul on earth. Some people may have felt forlorn. For me, this was a road trip paradise – no traffic, amazing landscapes, the ability to stop anywhere, anytime. Without the foreboding atmosphere of a zombie movie, the feeling was decidedly levitating and elevating. I felt the pulse of freedom on every breath, with don’t-know-why giggles escaping as I pressed on the gas pedal.
Down the single-lane road, through the 899m Uttakleiv Tunnel, and out into the light of the coast. I parked my little rental amongst the vans, cars, and trailers, some vacant, some occupied by couples who had shuttered their mobile home by the time I returned from my foray into the high winds at the beach.
With my toque and windbreaker hoodie tight around my head and gloves for manoevuring the tripod and camera settings, I headed to the sea over sand and boulder. The winds rolled fiercely in and lashed at my face. It was glorious.
When I walked around the area, I found some interesting tourist info. Traces of settlements from 500 to 600AD have been found at Uttakleiv. Drawn there by fishing and land for grazing, people came by sea, foot, and horseback over the mountain.
Here is some info on photographing the Midnight Sun from Fstoppers and Hurtigruten.
In and Around Hamnøy
While I had the car – somehow I managed to book it for more than a day last minute – I jetted around the area. I had afternoon tea at Friisagården and a lunch of grilled stockfish at Ramberg Gjestegård.
When you are in the Lofoten Islands, trying stockfish is a must. Cod was Norway’s biggest export for a very long time. Air-dried cod, stockfish was the food of the Vikings, sustenance for their voyages. When you drive around the islands, you can find these racks and remnants of fish heads on the ground. In the winter, these racks are full, with cod coming to the Lofoten for the warmer waters.
Fishing is hard, harder now still with declining schools of fish. You get a sense of the toughness in the Norwegian stock, no less on these islands where fishing was the primary way of life, paying rent in fish. There is a Stockfish Museum at Å if you want to know more.
Three nights really isn’t enough time for the Lofoten Islands so I was discerning with where I went. This included the beach at Flakstadøya and SUP in the arctic ocean. I underestimated my mobility first time in a wet suit – and the waves were strong – and the thought of falling into that cold water was enough to keep me kneeling most of the time. Plus I didn’t want to lose my contact lenses. Now thinking about it, I wish I hadn’t been so chicken shit and rational and just gone for it. I guess I’d have to wait until the next time I went to the Arctic.
The Lofoten Islands offer a variety of accommodation options, including camping. Because I was in Scandinavia for a month, visiting a variety of places, I wanted to pack light and flexible. Already hauling a tripod, I didn’t want to add to the load camping gear. I also wanted a rorbuer experience.
Cabin #15 at Eliassen Rorbuer was a superior twin bed cottage, one of the smallest available cabins. It was more than ample for one person. The key was the kitchenette to prep food. On the way back from Å I had picked up some groceries for quick meals.
I didn’t come well-supplied – thankfully bed linens are available as an extra charge. The booking manager Katrine was very helpful, with directions, bus schedules, and even arranging the car. It certainly made booking last minute smooth and easy.
I also tried the restaurant at Eliassen Rorbuer. Known for serving fresh fish and being late for dinner, I had limited choices. Still my dinner was fulfilling. I enjoyed sitting alone upstairs, away from the crowds. Overlooking the cabins, watching the colours change like a watercolour, I slowly finished my dinner.
Staying at a rorbuer is a definitively Lofoten experience and Eliassen Rorbuer is a great find.
More info | Flakstadøya | Restaurant at Ramberg Gjestegård | Stockfish Museum
Svolvær
Svolvær was where I boarded the Hurtigruten to return to the mainland. To get there, the easiest way since I didn’t have a car anymore, was to bus it from Hamnøy.
Conveniently, the bus stop was just across the road from Eliassen Rorbuer. I remember standing roadside listening to the birds. Eyes closed, I could hear the faint church bells and a choir in the distance. It was Sunday. So quiet, so warm under the sun, without a care, relishing the simplicity of my travel plans. One road. One bus.
Svolvær is the big city in Lofoten, some 130 km from Hamnøy. It offers a variety of activities, accommodations, and dining. The North Norwegian Art Centre also brings together artists from around the world for the month-long Lofoten International Art Festival in September.
With nearly a full day in Svolvær, I checked my bags into a locker at the info centre and roamed the town. There were some lovely shops to browse. Everywhere I went in Scandinavia amazing art welcomed me. I fell in love with a beautiful pink porcelain cup that the North Norweigan Art Centre shop helped to post home for me. This lovely cup sits on my kitchen shelf and I savour my tea in it, so precious a souvenir of my time here.
After strolling around town, I walked across the bridge, away from the busier more touristy centre and into the quieter residential areas. I made my way towards Anker Brygge and to the edge of the water. Again, I was stunned by the amazing landscapes. Northern Norway has no shortage of these. Even watching tidal pools was a time warp.
Boarding time for the Hurtigruten was quite late so I stopped at Du Verdan for a meal. I sat by the window and had a view of the sea. It was a very busy restaurant and the food was delicious. There is something about summer and those days of sunshine in northern countries, right? Being Canadian, I completely relate.
If you are driving or taking the bus into Svolvær, keep an eye out for the glass and steel installation by Dan Graham. Located about 25 km west in the direction of Leknes, this untitled piece is “a picture, an object and an architectonic form, but above all it is an event” (according to its description).
With its reflective, concave panorama wall, it creates a feast for the eye. We see simultaneously a landscape that could appear in any painting that takes the sublime landscape as its theme, but which in this unique moment is both present and depicted.
More info | Solvær | local bus info | Hurtigruten | Anker Brygge | Lofoten International Art Festival | Northern Norway Art Centre | Skulpturlandskap Nordland | Du Verdan
My days in the Lofoten Islands were unreal, so far away from everything. It was so peaceful, so quiet…driving around on the one road to chase the Midnight Sun, floating in the Arctic Ocean on a paddle board, sampling the food, feeling free to do what I felt called in the moment… including curling up with a book or taking a nap.
